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I’m Bob Larson. Not the news pro-farming groups were hoping for. According to an EPA audit, the What’s Upstream campaign was a proper use for nearly a half-million dollars in federal funds. The EPA’s Office of Inspector General cleared the agency, the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission and the Swinomish Tribe of anything illegal.

Save Family Farming’s Gerald Baron says it’s a form of corruption that he hopes a NEW group of EPA leaders will fix …

GERALD BARON … “We’ve been having discussions with some very high level officials within the new EPA administration and we have been assured that this is a significant issue to this administration. But, we believe, since it is largely a regional issue, occurring here in Washington state, that probably in terms of how EPA functions, it would fall on the new EPA administrator.”

Baron says it’s unclear so far, who might be taking over the reins at the EPA …

GERALD BARON … “We don’t have a timeline. I forget exactly what the requirements are in terms of appointing that level of federal official, but it’s our expectation that when the new administrator is named, whoever that person is, would be the one responsible for really taking the lead on making the changes necessary and responding to the requests that we’ve made.”

Baron says if nothing changes, the potential abuse of campaign finance laws is far reaching. Listen next time for his take on the environmental groups who target farming and the motives behind their often-times vicious attacks.